Kelly Sheffield has the most loaded incoming class he's ever had. That's saying something considering who the Badgers have had wearing Wisconsin red and white over the years. Yet, at no point has a group this talented all come in at once. Some of that is due to the weird circumstances of college sports right now with international players and transfers, but the 2026 freshmen class is incredibly loaded and deep for the Badgers.
One freshman stood out on alumni night: Audrey Flanagan. She led both teams with 17 kills and was truly in her bag all night. She only played in three out of the four sets and yet showed an impressive ability to hit through, around, and over blocks. Wisconsin volleyball legend Sarah Franklin noticed and took a few moments in the post-game presser to heap praise on the true freshman.
Franklin, a legendary hitter in her own right, knows what it takes to be elite at the college level and what it looks like to be the best hitter in college volleyball as a Badger. She sees a ton of potential in young Flanagan. "Oh, it's so exciting. I cannot wait to see that cut shot that she's getting to. Oh my gosh, that's going to be absolutely gnarly. I can just tell."
Franklin continues, "And you can tell that she just has a really good touch on the ball and a feel on the ball. So watching her grow over her college career is going to be super, super exciting. Especially to see her as a Badger is cool."
Audrey Flanagan is a special player already as a true freshman
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Flanagan could not have a better person to notice this in her, as Franklin was the best of her generation. She was the AVCA National Player of the Year in 2023. She also won the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2023 and 2024. She's a legend, and she's noticing something special in Flanagan.
Another former Badger and a player who was working tirelessly to dig out Flanagan hits for the alumni was Tiffany Clark. After Franklin finished her thoughts on Flanagan, Clark jumped in with, "She's a freshman. She's going to be pretty gnarly. That'll be fun."
Later, when Flanagan was asked about this game and her coming out as an electric hitter party during this alumni game. She took the humble route and praised setter Charlie Fuerbringer for setting her up all night and "giving her open nets." There is something to be said about a top-tier setter helping a hitter succeed. But it takes two to tango, and Flanagan was electric all night.
Fuerbringer smiled about the praise she received but flipped it back on Flanagan, "Yeah, I think Audrey does a really good job at just staying steady and moving on to the next play. Finding ways to win. She wants to win."
That desire to win didn't come against the all-star Badger alumni team, but it gave the young team with a really high ceiling a ton to work on and aspire to be, and that was the goal.
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